Man failed to do Community Service ‘due to threat’

A defence lawyer said a man was unable to do unpaid work ordered by a previous court and left Northern Ireland “due to a threat”.

Barrister Neil Moore was speaking at Ballymena Magistrates Court regarding Stephen Moore (36), with an address listed as Rathlin Drive in the town.

The defendant had appeared at court last year and had been ordered to do unpaid work and complete the ‘Building Better Relationships’ programme after being convicted of charges of criminal damage, assault, assault on police, possession of Class A and B drugs and making a threat to damage property.

In December last year police went to an address in Ballymena and despite seeing the defendant inside he initially refused to come to the door.

When he did come to the door he tried to close it in the officer’s face and was shouting and swearing.

The court, on July 25, was told Moore had not completed any hours of the Community Service.

District Judge Nigel Broderick said he took a dim view of the matter as the original offences had included domestic violence.

The judge said there had originally been every reason why the defendant should have been sent to prison last year but the court had given Moore a chance by way of a Combination Order.

The judge said he was not impressed by Moore’s lack of engagement and revoked the Order and replaced it with a five months prison term.